Fruit-picker.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

J. T. BELL.

FRUIT PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED rsnzo. 190s.

INVENTOR a fi w m WITNESSES PATIENT orrron JAMES T. BELL, OF LANSING,MICHIGAN.

FRUIT-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 1'7, 1906.

Application filed February 20, 1906. Serial No. 302,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. BELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to fruit-pickers of the type employed forgathering fruit ,from trees, and has for its objects to produce acomparatively simple inexpensive device of this character whereby thefruit may be readily gathered and this without injuring the fruit, onein which the basket or receptacle may after being filled be convenientlyclosed, and one from which the fruit may be readily discharged whendesired.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of afruit-picker embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame, partly in central longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail view ofthe basketblank. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the pickingmember or fork.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a handle or shank provided atits upper end with a flat head-piece 2, having a plurality oflongitudinal slots or openings 3 and constituting one wall of a basketof receptacle 4, which comprises a plurality of relatively spaced slatsor strips 5, connected at their normally upper ends by and formed in asingle piece with a connecting web or strip 6, the terminals of whichproject beyond the terminal slats 5 for attachment to the head-piece 2,as more fully hereinafter explained, while the initially free ends ofthe slats are bent inward and attached to the lower edge of theheadpiece 2..

Extending across the forward or upper edge of the base-piece 2 is amember or shaft 7, journaled for rotation in bearing members or ears 8,attached to the side ed es of and projecting forwardly beyond theiasespiece 2, said ears being secured by fastening mem bers 9, whichsubserve the further function of attaching the terminals of theconnecting web 6 to the head-piece 2, as seen more clearly in Fig. 1.The member or shaft 7 carries a plurality of relatively spacedfruit-engaging tines or lingers 10, preferably curved,as shown, andadapted when in closed position, as seen in Fig. 2, to form a closurefor the upper open end of the receptacle 4, there being arranged uponthe shaft 7 a spring 11, having one end engaged with the head-piece 2and the other end with the shaft and serving to rotate the latter in adirection for maintaining the picker device in closed condition.

Fixed to and projecting from the shaft 7 is an arm 12, with which isengaged one end of a traction cord or element 13, arranged to travelthrough a guide 14 on the handle 1 and equipped at its other end with anengaging member or ring 15, adapted for engagement with a projectinghook or keeper 16, fixed to the handle, said cord being adapted foroperation to rotate the shaft 7 against the action of spring 11 forswinging the tines 10 to open position, as in Fig. 1.

In practice the picker-fingers 10 are raised to the position illustratedin Fig. 1 by drawing downward on the element 13 and are locked in suchposition by engaging the ring 15,with the keeper 16,with the fingers. Inthis condition they are engaged with the fruit to be picked, which whenpulled from the stem will fall into the basket or receptacle 4, andafter the same has become filled the element 13 is released, whereuponthe spring 11 will swing the shaft to position with the fingersextending across and closing the mouth of the basket, thus to obviateescape of the fruit therefrom. When it is desired to dump the basket,the cord is manipulated for raising the fingers to open position andpermit discharge of the fruit. It is to be particularly noted that underthis construction the cost of the device as a whole is materiallyreduced owing to the formation of the basket by means of the base-piece2 and the open work blank 5 6.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is" i In afruit-picker, a handle, a receptacle carried thereby, a shaft journaledat the for- 5 Ward end of the receptacle and provided With a pluralityof picker-fingers adapted to close the mouth of the receptacle, a springacting on the shaft to hold the fingers in closed position, a tractionelement operatively connected With the shaft, and a keeper provided 16on the handle for engagement b y said element to lock the fingers inopen position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JAMES T. BELL. Witnesses JOHN W. ALLEN, WALTER S. FOSTER.

